HC Deb 08 November 1989 vol 159 cc637-8W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between his Department and Oxfam with regard to the Government contributing towards some of the costs of Oxfam's aid programme; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Chalker

My officials and I are in regular contact with Oxfam both about support under our joint funding scheme and about emergency relief measures. Indeed, I have recently decided to increase our grant to Oxfam under the joint funding scheme to £3.5 million next year. We will of course also consider sympathetically requests for assistance for disaster and emergency relief measures if the need arises.